Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-10
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THE FISHERIES.

is5 THE FISHERIES.
No Yankees Allowed in Canadian Wat
erss-The Reginning OF Trouble.
& Halifax special: Considerable excite
ment prevailed here Saturday over She
latest seizure at Suris, which is now re-
ported as not only an offense against
the customs laws, but also for viola
tion OF the treaty OF 1918, and to be such
serious case to require the immediate
presence OF Consul, General Phelan.
Great interest also attaches to q confer.
ence which took place that day between
the minister of fisheries, Rear Admiral
Luce, Oonsul- General Phelan. and Capt.
Scott. The conference occurred on board
the United States flagship Richmond,
and lasted over an hour. sss els
sS TIE result is that the interchange OF
views has caused such personal under
standing to be arrived at as will Mater
tally aid in solving number OF knotty
points. sj rs
Regarding the cases of the Gloucester
schooners, Argonant' and French,
a;nists: E<<sss.e. declared it !. to be she la
tention OF the Canadian authorities TO
capture those We .sels wherever they
could find them. He argued that the
vessels upon the admission of their crews,
had clearly been guilty OF violating the
treaty, and therefore were liable to for
feitufe, and o forfeited vessel could be
taken anywhere outside the territorial
waters OF fanother power, Both Admiral
Luce and Consul. General Pheian strong
ly dissenting from this view. Regard
ing the supply OF necessaries OF Lille to
American vessels coming in from the
banks destitute, the minister explained
that while no vessel would be permitted
to suffer for food, il wse not his inten-
tion to allow American vessels to fish
until ell their provisions were exhausted
and then play upon Canadian sympathy
Tor fresh supply. But while interest
attached to the seizure and the confer
ence by far the greatest interest oentered
In the current report that Secretary OF
the Navy Whitney has telegraphed Ad-
mlral Luce to Withdraw all circulars or
memoranda of instructions that he may
have authorized or issued to American
fishermen. I5f s3
Z Admiral Luce authorizes the following
statement in regard to the circular,
which ne issued giving instruetions to
American fishermen:
My position is easily defined 1t is
understood by common report that the
United States government and that of
Great Britain are now negotiating for O
settlement of the fisheries questions.
Pending these negotiations, it is She
part of United States vessels OF war in
Canadian waters to avoid doing any
thing that might even harrasE our gov
ernment or add to the complication of
the various questions at issue. The
ships OF the North Atlantic squadron
were not sent to the Gulf OF ST. Law
renee to prevent by force seizure of
American fishermen by dominion eruis-
ers for alleged violation of laws for the
protection OF the in-shore fisheries, but
rather to render snoh moral support as
the mere presence OF cur ships might
afford. In thu event OF seizure of an
American fishing vessel for an alleged
violation OF the laws OF the dominion
the case must be fought out ID the courts,
not by the dominion cruiser and ves-
SCI of war by the United States. This
lis not abating one jot or one tittls OF
the American side of the question, for il
the dominion courts find in opposition
to the claim of the United States then the
case can be taken up by our government
and submitted If necessary to arbitration.
The appeal to arms, as some OF our news
papers suggest, is supposed to be the
measure OF last resort. Bad the entire
United States navy been present on
Sept !, 1886, it could not have legally
prevented the seizures by very small
dominion cruiser Of the Highland Light
for fishing within the three-mlle Limit.
However tenaclously we may uphold the
Justice OF the American side of the
question it has not saved the case OF the
David ). Adams and Allen M. Doughty
from dragging through the courts now
for over a year. And whatever may be
the decision in those cases, the fact
remains that the voyage in each case wes
broken up and the parties most directly
concerned subjected to much inoonYeni-
ence. Hence, to enable our fishermen
to keep out OF the courts, the FIRST and
most obvious step was to ascertain the
nature OF the instructions issued to the
dominion cruisers and having obtained
that information, the next step was to
give our fishermen the benefits of ii
without endorsement by me or of any
American official OF che views embraced
in those instructions. Coupled with this
information was the warning that
IN the event OF seizare tho case
would have to 60 to the courta
as our vessels OF war were not
empowered to interpoEtj force or 70
prevent the law from saking its course
The only exception to this that / am
aware OF is doubtful GASES, or in cases
where the rights OF our fishermen seem
to have been clearly violated by the
dominion cruisers. In Il! event the
question is referred to the nearest United
States consul or our consui-general al
Halifax. who makes mp the case and sub
mits it 10 the state department at w ash.
ipgton.
The British war ships now in the
North American waters are to otake